Well drilling rig



Oct. 28, 1952 J. w. MENHALL WELL DRILLING RIG Filed Nov. 14, 1947 4Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 28, 1952 J. w. MENHALL 2,615,679

WELL DRILLING RIG 7 Filed Nov. 14, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 f/IIIIIIIIII AIN V EN TOR.

Oct. 28, 1952 w MENHALL 2,615,679

WELL DRILLING RIG Filed Nov. 14, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 J-icl- [IIIINVENTOR.

"Oct. 28, 1952 J. w. MENHALL 2,615,679

WELL DRILLING RIG Filed Nov. 14, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 28,1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE g -2,615 ,679 I '7 I: WELL DRILLING RIGJames W. Menhall, Benton, Ill. Application November 14, 1947, Serial No.786,122

My present invention is' a continuation in part of the invention of mypending application for Patent Serial No. 713,789 filed December 3,1946, and embodies certain improvements in the drill rig of saidapplication from which desirable functions are derived that areadvantageous in the practical operation of the rig.

More specifically setting'forth the present object of this invention itis noted that my rig of the type of my said application contemplates theuse of certain rotary table driven by line shafting, and gearing,leading from a suitable motor, all on the base frame of the rig. Thecustomary draw-works operating winch, carried on a winch andcatheadshaft, is employed. Provisions are made by a power take-off tocarry the drive of the motor from the'line shafting leading to thetable, to the winch and catheads, said power take-off including wormgearing for positive uncushioned driving of the winch drum shaft andwinch. For operating the table with cushioned drive effect from saidline shafting suitable means are employed.

In the above construction a friction clutch unit is utilized to operatethe draw-works winch drum, as is customary in present well rig design.It is desirable in the fishing of drill pipe, drill collar and bit stuckin a hole, and under other conditions to have repeated, sudden andpositive pulls on the line to jerk the stuck parts loose. When thefriction clutch between the drum shaft and winch drum is employed, thereis sometimes slippage which reduces the effectiveness ofthe pullrequired to jar a bit, etc., loose. Therefore, I have combined in mypresent improved rig, a special auxiliary clutch of the positive or jawtype, designed to be used only in the case'of such an emergency as abovementioned, and by which to operate the winch drum and drawworks in eventof failure of the friction clutch to accomplish desired results alongthe lines above set forth.

In carrying out my invention I employ both friction and positive jawtype clutches, cooperable with the winch drum and shaft, to transmit theuncushioned drive of positive worm or like gearing from the winch shaftto the drum, and usable preferably alternatively, for the purposes aboveoutlined.

A complete understanding of my invention will be had on reference to thefollowing detailed description, and the annexed drawings.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a view in side elevation showing a drilling rig embodyingthe essential features 1 Claim. (01. 254187) of the operating mechanismof my invention, the upper portion'of the derrick being shown brokenaway, the draw-works cable leading off of the winch drum being alsobroken away. I

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through thewinch drum shaft and the drum thereon, said view showing the frictionand positive clutch units associated with these parts.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of fragmentary nature illustrating theoperating rod for shiftin the movable member of thejaw clutch.

Figure '4 is a side view of the shifting arm carried by the jaw clutchactuating rod.

Figure 5 is a detail fragmentary plan view showin more clearly the lockpin carried by the jaw clutch shifting rod and which cooperates with abayonet slot in the sleeve bearing for said rod, for lockingthe jawclutch in engagement in relation to the movable and stationary partsthereof.

Figure 6 is a view taken vertically through the worm drive gear unit anddisclosing the latter in sectional view, said unit being a part'of thepower takeoff from the main lineshafting of the rig to carry the drivetherefrom to the winchdrum and catheadshaft.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary top plan view brin ing out more clearly thearrangement of the mo: tor and the drive line shafting which leads tothe rotary and has associated therewith the power takeoff that leads tothewinch drum shaft.

Figure 8 is a view taken cross sectionall'y through the-base frame ofthe rig adjacent to a point outwardly of the rotary table and bringingout more clearly the disposition of certain ofthe control lever andother parts. i i

Figure 9 is a view partly in section "showing the drive arrangement fromthe 'engine'output shaftto the rotary. 1

Referring first to Figures land 7 of the drawing the generalcon-structionof my unnm ng may be characterizedas includingabase framecomprising base longitudinal sills I; and a pm: rality of cross piecesor bars 2. -Mounted on-thi s base frame is the prime mover or motor sandthe derrick 4 which supports the draw-works the cable 5 of which isshown in'Figures 1'and 8. There willbe seen 'to' be mountedup'on thebase frame aforesaid the driving means intermediate the engine land-therotary table 6 likewise supported by the base frame, whichdriving meansis'also employed for the operation o'f the wiinch drum I mounted on thewinch and cathead" shaft 8. Co-operating with the shaft 8 and mounted inconnection therewith after the customary practice are the plain cathead9 and the automatic cathead ID, the latter being of the type generallyknown in the art today as Simplomatic.

The winch and cathead unit referred to forming a part of the draw-worksoperating means of the rig are suitably mounted upon a superstructuregenerally designated II which is carried on the base frame including thesills or longitudinal members I.

I now refer to the driving means including certain line shafting whichconnects the engine 3 with the rotary 6, and which is adapted to drivethe winch drum and cathead shaft 8.

The motor 3 is any conventional type of hydrocarbon engine. Its shaft isconnected through the means of conventional transmission gearing ofdifferential speed type located in the transmission housing I2 adjacentto the inner end of the engine said transmission unit including a drivenshaft connected by a flexible coupling I3 with the line shaft I4supported in suitable bearings on the base frame of the rig and havingthereon loosely mounted in relation thereto the chain driving sprocketI5. The sprocket I5 has a. clutch member at its outer side adapted to beengaged by a movable clutch member I6 splined or otherwise connected tothe shaft I4 whereby to operatively connect the shaft I4 to drive thesprocket gear I5 under the control of a suitable lever II adapted to bemanually operated. The said lever I'I operates the clutch member I6,since it is connected thereto in a conventional mechanical manner by across shaft on which the lever is mounted, and a rod which operates apivoted link in turn connected to a suitable clutch yoke member as seenin Figure '7.

The sprocket I5 is a part of transmission mechanism for driving thewinch drum and cathead shaft 8 previously referred to.

Intermediate the line shaft I4 and the output shaft 2I which is gearconnected, through reducing gearing unit l8, to the rotary table 6,there is located the fluid coupling or torque convertor unit 22. Thisunit may be of any known type and there is preferably used for itspurpose the well known unit called the twin disc hydraulic coupling. Bythe use of fluid coupling 22 the drive from the line shaft I4 to thedriven shaft 2|, which directly drives the rotary table, may becushioned as set forth in my previous application, the cushioningaffordin certain advantages in the operation of the rotary underdifferent conditions of service. The shaft I4 is adapted to be clutchconnected to the shaft 2| by means of the clutch 23 which is operable bythe lever 24 at the side of the rig adjacent to the operators station.

By the use of the clutch 23 the operator of the rig has under hiscontrol the transmission of driving forces to the rotary table and if itis desired to discontinue the drive to the said table clutch 23 may berendered inactive, at which time the rotary table will be at rest. Undercertain conditions of service this control is desirable andadvantageous.

The operating means between the winch driving sprocket gear I5 and thewinch and cathead unit is seen best in Figure 6 and Figure 1 and in thelatter figure it will be perceived that a sprocket chain 25 leads fromthe sprocket gear I5 to a sprocket gear 2'! on a worm shaft 28 in theworm gear housing 29 (see Figure 6). The worm 30 on the shaft 28 engagesa worm wheel 3| on the winch drum and cathead shaft 8 previouslymentioned, the gear 3I being keyed to the latter shaft.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the positive drive from the lineshaft I4 may be transmitted through the clutch I6, sprockets I5 and 21and worm 3D and worm wheel 3I to the winch drum shaft 8 on which thewheel 3| is keyed. The said drive is an uncushioned drive and enablesthe full driving forces of the motor to be transmitted to the winch drumand cathead shaft 8.

Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings it will be noted that the winchand cathead unit of my construction is very similar in nearly allrespects to units of this type now in use and as set forth in myprevious application. The winch drum 1 about which the draw-works cableor line 5 passes and which controls the operation of the draw-works isloosely mounted upon the shaft 8. The shaft 8 as stated before carriesthe plain cathead 9 and the Simplomatic cathead II], at opposite endsthereof, and the driving operation of the winch drum I is effected bythe employment of the friction clutch unit 32 which may be anyconventional and suitable type of friction clutch for conveying thedrive of the shaft 8 to the drum 1. The clutch of the unit 32 isoperable manually by means of a clutch shiftin yoke 33 with which isconnected a link rod 34 shown in dotted lines in Figure 8 that leads tothe manually operable clutch throw lever 35 at the operators station.

The general mechanisms and construction of my well rig as thus far setforth is substantially the same as embodied in my previous applicationherein identified and the control of the driving of the drum 1 forpull-out operations in respect to the drill line and all other ordinaryoperations usually performed will be under the control of the operatorin the actuation of the lever 35 for the friction clutch. The paying outof the cable 5 from the drum I is ordinarily controlled, as customary bythe employment of brake bands 36 cooperating with brake drum surfaces 31rigid with the drum 1, the operating means for said brake bands 36including the manual lever I9, the same having operatin connectionsleading to both of the bands 36 after the manner shown in Figure 2 ofthe drawings illustrating the drum and cathead unit. The shaft on whichthe lever I9 is mounted, designated .20, is connected to the actuatingshafts 38 of the brake bands 36 by means of a pull rod 39 (see Figure2).

Other conventional features of my rig construction as shown include thecustomary engine clutch lever.4il (see Figure 8), the hand throttlewheel 4|, the transmission control lever 42, the foot throttle lever 43and the jerk line foot lever 44 which controls the automatic orSimplomatic cathead I ll. The above features of my rig are substantiallythose as set forth in my previous application but by reference to Figure2 it will be observed that I employ in conjunction with the left handend of the Windlass drum 1 the auxiliary or special clutch previouslyreferred to herein as the improvement feature of my present invention.This clutch comprises a movable clutch member 45 splined to slide uponthe shaft 8 for the catheads and the drum 1 and therefore rotating withthe shaft 8. Said movable clutch member 45 is a positive looking or jawclutch and its laws or teeth are adapted to move into and out ofengagement with a stationary clutch member comprising jaws or teeth 46formed on the adjacent or left hand of the Windlass drum 1.

For shifting the clutch member 45 I employ a hand operated shifter rod41 mounted to slide longitudinally in a sleeve bearing 48 supported onthe housing of the worm gear unit at the adjacent end of the drum 1. Therod 41 has a push and pull handle 49 attached to its outer end. A spring55 is interposed between the handle 49 and the adjacent end of thesleeve bearing 48 and normally by expanding action tends to hold thehandle in an outwardly adjusted position in relation to the bearing 48.On the inner end of the shifter rod 4'! is carried a shifting arm 51having a projection which enters the groove in the movable clutch or jawmember (see Figure 2).

It is obvious from the foregoing that by pushing inwardly toward theWindlass drum 1, upon the handle 49 the jaw 45 may be caused tointerengage the jaws or teeth portions of the clutch member comprisingthe teeth 46 on the drum 7. Under these conditions the positive drive ofthe shaft 8 operated from the worm gearing shown in Figure 2 may betransmitted with the full force of the driving of the engine 3, to thedrum 1. By the sudden engaging action of the clutch member 45 with theclutch part 46 of the drum vigorous and positive jerking action may betransmitted to the drum 1 in a rotative direction in regard to itspullout action on the draw-works cable 5 and the positive forces thuscreated may be transmitted to the pipe line and adjuncts connected withthe latter, in an obvious manner.

If found desirable dependent upon the particular exigencies which ariseand the operations which are required to be performed by the drum 1, thefriction clutch unit 32 may be operated by its lever 35 in conjunctionwith the operation of the handle 49 and the clutch member 45, orindependently, as found necessary, the latter being its customaryoperation.

Since the drum shaft 8 is driven positively through the takeoff unit l5on the shaft l4 the driving forces that may be imparted to the shaft 8through the employment of the clutch member 45 will be uncushioned, thisbeing due to the fact that the driving connections are positive inaction at all times.

As distinguished from the foregoing the driving forces transmitted fromthe shaft M to the rotary table are effected through the fluid couplingor torque convertor 22 and are cushioned forces preferably. It is withinthe contemplation of my invention however that if deemed necessary thetorque convertor 22 might be dispensed with insofar as the utility of myconjoint clutch units 46 and 32 are concerned.

To hold clutch member 45 engaged with clutch member parts 46, a bayonetslot 52 is formed in the top of bearing sleeve 48, see Figure 5, and apin 53 rotatable with the rod 41, is engageable with the offset part ofsaid slot. When the pin 53 is disengaged from said offset section of theslot 52, the spring will move the rod 41 and its handle 49 outwardly anddisengage the clutch member 45 from the member 46, in an obvious manner.

The line shafting between the coupling 22 and the speed reduction gearunit l8 may include a conventional chain or like coupling 54 if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

In a wall drilling rig, in combination, a motor, draw-works comprising awinch drum, a cable adapted to wind on said drum, a drum shaft on whichthe drum is loosely mounted, positive worm gearing connecting the motorand drum shaft for driving the latter, a friction clutch to connect thedrum with said shaft and a non-slipping clutch to connect the drum withsaid shaft, for effecting drill string pull out operation of the cable,manual control devices for said clutches for independently orsimultaneously shifting same to connect and disconnect the shaft anddrum, and a cathead on said drum shaft.

JAMES W. MENHALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,452,244 Lockhart Apr. 17, 19232,123,344 Rogers July 12, 1938 2,351,851 Young June 20, 1944

